O’Fallon, Missouri

“I’ve found in recent years that  overlooked, undesirable fish species located in overlooked, undesirable locales can provide your most unexpected fishing adventures.”

Although traditionalists have long stuck up their noses at the urban ponds, rivers and drainage canals that cut through city centers all across the country, a new breed of fisherman is emerging. They are individuals that are so hungry for fishing adventure, they’re willing to trade pristine streams and trophy fish for the grittier and often overlooked species (like gar and common carp) that inhabit bodies of water closer to home.

Outsider Patrick is one such fisherman. He is a Certified Financial Advisor who, like many, found that responsibilities at work and home prevented him from being able to travel and fish as often as he’d like. His passion for fly-fishing was reignited after being introduced to ‘trash fish’. Since then, Patrick can be found chasing Carp all over the St. Louis metropolitan area. His quest recently prompted him to explore the river Des Peres, as chronicled humorously in his blog article “Fly-Fishing the City: A sewer runs through it“.